Toy vehicles have proven to be very popular toys for children of all ages. Many different types of toy vehicles have been provided in the past. For example, toy vehicles have been provided in the form of toy boats, toy cars, toy trucks, toy construction equipment, toy motorcycles and the like. Toy manufacturers are constantly trying to find ways to improve the operation of toy vehicles so that they look and function in a manner that is as real as possible, while also keeping the cost of the toy as low as possible. Many toy vehicles are made as miniaturized replicas of real full-size vehicles. Many such toys also include battery-driven motors that enable the toy to be self-propelled, thereby providing greater realism and further enjoyment for the user. Toy manufacturers are constantly looking for ways to make the toys less expensive and more reliable, while still providing a fun and exciting toy.
Toy watercrafts have been provided with propeller and jet drive systems for propelling the watercraft across water. Such toy watercrafts have been provided with remote control systems, such as radio frequency (RF) transmitters and receivers, which enable the user to remotely control the operation of the watercraft during operation. Other self-propelled toy watercrafts have been provided without remote control functionality, wherein the user simply turns on or off the power to the watercraft and the watercraft operates without user control.
One aspect of the instant invention is directed to toy watercrafts and, more particularly, to toy watercrafts of the type that are powered by a propeller that is driven by a drive shaft connected to a motor, such as a miniature electric motor, housed within the watercraft. Such propeller-driven toy watercrafts have been provided in the past in a variety of forms and have proven to be a very popular toy for children of all ages. However, such prior propeller-driven toy watercrafts have had some disadvantages. For example, the structure of the drive shaft assembly of prior toy watercrafts have enabled water to enter the hull of the boat, thereby causing a significant amount of water to collect in the hull of the watercraft when floating or operating in water. Prior toy watercrafts have used epoxy glue, resin and/or grease around the propeller shaft in an attempt to reduce or prevent water from entering the hull. However, these prior techniques have not eliminated the problem of water entering the hull around the drive shaft assembly.
Drain holes have typically been provided in prior toy watercrafts to enable the user to periodically drain the collected water from the watercraft housing by removing the watercraft from the water and inverting the watercraft, so that the hull water drains out through the drain holes. The frequency at which the user must drain the boat hull depends on the rate at which the propeller assembly allows water to enter the hull. Many of the prior toy watercrafts have required frequent draining, thereby reducing the enjoyment of the toy. Not only can the water entering the hull cause damage to the internal parts of the toy watercraft, but it also adds substantial additional weight to the watercraft, which adversely effects the operation thereof. The additional weight of even a relatively small amount of water in the hull can prevent the watercraft from performing optimally. Larger amounts of water in the hull can prevent the watercraft from balancing or planing on the surface of the water, thereby dramatically reducing the performance and enjoyment of the toy watercraft.
Another disadvantage of prior toy watercraft designs is that the propeller drive shaft assembly is constructed in a manner that enables the drive shaft to vibrate significantly during operation, thereby decreasing the efficiency and performance of the toy watercraft during operation. A further disadvantage of such prior propeller drive assemblies is that they are relatively noisy during operation, which also results in (or is indicative of) less than optimal performance for the drive assembly. Yet another disadvantage of prior toy watercraft designs is that the manner in which the propeller is attached to the propeller shaft adversely impacts the propeller performance. For example, prior propellers have been attached to the shaft in a manner that creates an unsymmetrical or unbalanced condition which, during high rotational speed, causes turbulence and/or vibration that prevents the propeller from performing optimally. One example of a prior propeller attachment method is to use a fastener, such as a screw, through the side of the propeller and into contact with the shaft. Prior propeller attachment methods have also made it difficult or impossible to replace the propeller in the event that the propeller becomes damaged, such as by an impact with another object. Even slight damage to the propeller can seriously reduce the operational efficiency thereof. Major propeller damage, such as loss of one or more propeller blades, can render the toy inoperative. If the damaged propeller cannot be replaced, the toy can no longer be enjoyed by the user. A further disadvantage of prior toy watercraft designs is that the connection between the shaft and the motor is not done in a way that assures reliable and maximum transfer of power from the motor to the shaft. Some exemplary (but by no means exhaustive) prior art water-related toys are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,163,076 to Fowler; U.S. Pat. No. 1,627,073 to Arnold; U.S. Pat. No. 1,673,701 to Lindstrom; U.S. Pat. No. 2,094,621 to Savage; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,076 to Street.
All of the above-noted disadvantages of prior toy watercraft designs contribute to a less than ideal product from the end-user's perspective. Such toys are typically purchased with the hope and/or expectation that the watercraft will perform optimally and for a long period of time. These expectations are not always met by prior toy watercraft designs as a result of one or more of the above-noted problems and/or other problems with the propeller drive shaft assembly. Moreover, prior toy watercraft drive assemblies can be relatively complex, expensive, difficult to assemble, and/or subject to damage or failure. Thus, a need exists for an improved propeller drive assembly for toy watercrafts that overcomes these and other disadvantages of the prior art.
Another aspect of the invention relates to wheel shaft assemblies for toy land vehicles, such as remote control cars, trucks and the like. Such toys generally have tires that are driven by a miniature electric motor. Various arrangements have been used in the past to operably connect a drive shaft to the electric motor. Various techniques have also been used in the past to connect the wheel to the drive shaft, such as keyed, pinned shafts. However, improvements in the wheel shaft assemblies are still needed in order to reduce the cost, simplify the manufacturing and improve the flexibility of the toys (such as enabling the wheels to be removed and/or replaced). Other improvements are needed with respect to transmitted torque from the motor to the wheel, as well as improvements that more effectively prevent the wheel from coming loose from wheel shaft, such as during backward motion of the wheel or as a result of a collision.
The instant invention is designed to address these and other problems with prior art toy designs by providing an improved drive shaft assembly which enables efficient, reliable and optimal operation of the toy vehicle. When used on watercraft, the instant invention greatly reduces or even eliminates the problem of water entering the hull, as well as the noise, vibration, efficiency, transfer of power, and propeller connection and replacement problems discussed above. Similarly, when used on land vehicles, the instant invention eliminates problems relating to transfer of power, wheel connection and replacement, manufacturing etc. One embodiment of the land aspect of the invention also provides for more effective transmission of driving torque to the wheel by increasing the surface area contact between the wheel and wheel shaft elements. This embodiment of the land vehicle aspect of the invention also facilitates a more secure connection for a locking nut that holds the wheel on the wheel shaft, thereby preventing the locking nut from loosening during operation as a result of, for example, backward rotation of the wheel and/or collisions with hard objects, such as a concrete wall or the like.
In accordance with a one aspect of the invention, a toy watercraft is provided which includes: a housing defining an interior section of the watercraft; a motor mounted in the housing; a propeller shaft operatively connected to the motor and extending through an opening in the housing; a propeller mounted on an end portion of the propeller shaft; and a propeller shaft sealing arrangement for preventing water from entering the housing through the opening in the housing. The shaft sealing arrangement includes a sealing portion that surrounds the shaft and fits snugly into the opening. The sealing portion includes a sealing ring on an outside end portion thereof. The sealing ring has a larger diameter than the opening and contacts an outside perimeter of the opening. A mounting bracket secured to the outside of the housing is provided such that the bracket presses the sealing ring against the housing to seal the opening, thereby preventing water from entering the housing through the opening.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a toy watercraft is provided which includes: a housing defining an interior section of the watercraft; a motor mounted in the housing; a propeller shaft operatively connected to the motor and extending through an opening in the housing; and a propeller mounted on an end portion of the propeller shaft. The propeller shaft includes a polygon shaped propeller driving element that is countersunk into a rear portion of the propeller. A removable propeller locking nut is secured on the shaft and holds the propeller against the propeller driving element.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, a toy watercraft, is provided which includes: a housing defining an interior section of the watercraft; a motor mounted in the housing; a propeller shaft operatively connected to the motor and extending through an opening in the housing; a propeller mounted on an end portion of the propeller shaft; and a shaft stabilizing arrangement within the housing and positioned adjacent an end of the shaft where the shaft connects with the motor. The shaft stabilizing arrangement includes: a shaft mounting element secured to the housing and having an opening therethrough through which the shaft passes; a guide element surrounding the shaft and positioned within the opening in the shaft mounting element; and a gasket element surrounding the guide element and positioned between the guide element and the shaft mounting element to stabilize the propeller shaft.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a toy land vehicle is provided which includes: a vehicle body; a motor mounted in said body; a wheel shaft operatively connected to said motor and extending to the side of said body; and a wheel mounted on an end portion of said wheel shaft, wherein said wheel shaft includes a polygon shaped wheel driving element that is countersunk into an inner portion of said wheel having a complimentary polygon shaped recess, and a locking nut secured on said shaft that holds said wheel against said wheel driving element.
In accordance with one exemplary embodiment of the toy land vehicle of the instant invention, a polygon-shaped nut element is provided within the complimentary polygon shaped recess. The polygon shaped wheel driving element has a size and shape that enables it to fit snuggly into the polygon shaped nut element. Thus, in this embodiment, the polygon shaped driving element is received within the nut element which is, in turn, received within the recess in the inner portion of the wheel. The recess, nut element and driving element preferable all have a complimentary polygon shape, such as a hexagon shape. Preferably, the nut element is a non-metallic element, such as a plastic element, but any suitable material may be used. The nut element preferably also fits snuggly into the recess in the inner portion of the wheel. The nut element increases the surface area of contact between the elements, thereby increasing the torque that can be transmitted therebetween. The nut element also preferably includes a flanged portion that extends through the recess such that the locking nut (or washer thereof) contacts the flanged portion and is tightened against the flanged portion. This arrangement secures the locking nut in place by providing a gap between the wheel and the locking nut. In other words, the locking nut (with or without a washer) is screwed against and pressed directly onto the flanged portion of the nut element, thereby preventing the locking nut from loosening as a result of backward rotation of the wheel, collisions etc.